No good deed goes unpunished

Does anyone else feel like any time you try to help out with something it ends up costing you?

I went out to a local park today to help remove some Siberian elm. I was there as a faller for the big trees. A couple of college kids were cutting too and got in a bind, so I stepped in to help. Long story short, my bar got smashed. The saw is fine, but the bar is a mess. I found a replacement and I will be getting it tomorrow.

All I wanted to do was help. It was volunteer work and no pay, so I have to pay for the bar myself. I was talking with my wife last night about how I was planning to go and help, and we both knew something was going to go wrong, so I was very careful not to get hurt. I'm glad it was just a bar and I had another saw along.

It seems like any time I help with something like that, I end up paying the price one way or another. Am I the only one? I have taken a lot of wood out of there over the last year and went today to help as a way of saying thank you for the wood that I didn't have to cut. I talked to the project manager and he said I can go there and cut without them being there. They are not treating the stumps, so I can just cut and load, leaving the brush for them to burn.

It's only 2 miles from the house, so it's super convenient. For all the wood I have hauled out of there, a new bar is cheaper than the chains I would have worn out or the gas I would have used going elsewhere.

 

Sometimes, you're the windshield. Sometimes, you're the bug. Life happens.

Keep being a positive, and helpful person.

 

X3.
Could be worse, it could have happened on a volunteer project that you didn't get free wood from.
If you think about it that way, then its not really any different than any time you go out on a scrounge and take damage.

 

I agree w/ Mike. Just consider it the price of admission for access to all the wood you've scored.

 

Just remember the reason you helped in the first place.

A bar is a small price to pay, in the grand scheme of things it sounds like. Your heart was in the right place, focus on that and keep moving forward. Sounds like it could've been worse.

 

Exactly…

And the project manager gave you free access to a wood score that’s worth how much more than that bar?

 

Absolutely. The amount of wood that's there has a value in the thousands once processed and dried. I'm not bitter or anything, just bummed that I ruined a perfectly good bar. I have been cutting for 25 years and this is the only bar I have ruined. I'm just glad it was the bar and not a body part or someone's life. Tools are easily replaced. The situation yesterday was sketchy and I walked away from one of the trees so I could come back another day with a better plan.

I'm going to bring some of the wood home today and pick up the new bar. It's cheaper than I was expecting, so that's a plus. Someone bought the wrong bar, but it's the one I need. It's still in the box.

 

Take a big breath and let it all go. Life, it happens. Move on to the next project. Don't stop giving to others. In one way or another those good deeds have a way of giving back.

 

And usually do ten fold.

 

Sounds like you should buy a new saw to me!!!

 

A new 50cc can't touch this 350. 12k in the wood and 5+hp.

I bought a 372 this winter if that counts. The 350 hangs right with it. I'm going to port the 372 soon and then it's on!

I picked up the new bar today, (package unopened). I checked it over before mounting and it's warped from the factory. I tried bending it straight and it would not go. It's curved along the entire length. I am going to see if I can get it warrantied.

 

The universe has an interesting way of working. At least it was only a bar. I tend to believe the good you did will come back in spades some way or somehow. The bar is a small cost of doing business so to speak.

 

Some are able to repair bars. The tip on the damaged bar might be removed and used later.

 

c'est la vie
phrase

1. That's life; such is life.

and so ends the french lesson for today!

 

Good on you for helping out for free. The way i look at it is it couldve been worse. The risk you take doing volunteer work

 

This song always helps me get back to center.

I *will go the distance.

 

I'm over it now. BUT....I now have a new problem. I got new chains last year and they were supposed to be .050, but they gave me .058. The old bar was worn enough that I didn't notice and they ran great. They don't fit the new bar and I am unable to locate a .058 bar locally.

I am trying to decide if I should order a bar so I can use up the remaining chain life, or try to sell them and switch to a 20" bar.

 

Sometimes you're the dog, sometimes you're a hydrant

 

Great news. I found a Husqvarna 55 that someone gave me (supposedly not working). It had a 3/8 bar and a rim sprocket! I have been wanting to try 3/8 for a while anyway, so now I have the chance. I swapped the rim over to the 350, cleaned up the (almost brand new, but covered in grime) bar and sharpened the chains that came with it. One chain was brand new and 3 were lightly used. They're oregon brand, but free beats paying $200+ for a new bar and chains. I made a few test cuts tonight with the new chain after dressing the rakers and it seems to pull it just fine in frozen siberian elm. The .325 stihl chain (25RS) was faster and didn't take as much power to pull, but I also worked it over pretty good (ground rivets, clipped heels, thinned rakers, opened up cutters). It's snowing now with blizzard warnings for the next few days, but I will do some more testing when the weather clears and see how I like the 3/8 setup. (Brand new chains cut different than sharpened chains)

Upon examination of the 55 the bar/chains were from, I discovered the saw was in great shape. It was covered in a thick layer of grime, but everything looked great, even the cylinder. The reason it had no compression when they gave it to me was because the spark plug was missing! The chain was also not on the rim, and the rim was polished on one side where it ran against the chain. Someone had a brain fart? I don't know. I'm just happy to have the 350 up and running again.

I am going to pick up a spinner/breaker and some links so I can use up some oddball chains I have. There are some short .325 chains that would be great to splice up for the .325 bar I bought.